Railway signal-lamp controller.



HOWE.

RAILWAY SIGNAL LAMP CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED JULYIO. I9I5.

of the city ED *sijA'rEs PATENT onirica.

'SIGNAL COMPANY, orearns,

A WINTHBOP K. HOWE, 0F ROCHESTER. JYORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL RAILWAY NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

" RAILWAY SIGNAIv-LAMP CQTROILER.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916,

.Application ledJ'uly 10, 1915. Serial No. 39,180.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Beit known that I, WINTHRoP K. H own, a citizen of the United States, and a resldent Monroe andState of New `fork, have invented a new and useful Railway Signal- Lamp Controller, of which the following is a specification. j'

This invention relates to a device for use in each railway track block or in adjoining blocks for/'controlling electric signal lamps governing the movements of railway trains from one block into another.

The invention has for its main object to provide a simple, inexpensive and durable signal lamp controller capable of automatically lighting the clear and danger signal lamps and later automatically dlmming them to obviate'too dazzling eifectupon the engineer or motorman as the train or ca r approaches the lamps, which are automatically extinguished by passage of the train or car from the block, and whereby electric energy is saved by consuming current only when the lamps are needed for signaling purposes, and thereby also prolonging the life of the signal lamps.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the descriptlon of the invention progresses, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed 'out inthe appended claims. f

Reference is made to the accompanying diagrammatic drawing, forming part of this specification, and which indicates two of the improved controllers in operative relation with clear and danger signal lamps at railway track block sections.

'1`he numerals 1, 2, indicate the rails of a railway track which have insulating joints at 3, dividing the track into block sections of which the diagram shows a short part of blockv 4, the whole of blocks 5, and 6, and a still shorter portion of block 7. The main line wires 8,'9, a re connected to an alternating current generator 10, supplying electric energy for lighting the signal lamps and for operating reactance devices which are influenced by the track circuits in manner hereinafter explained. From the respective wires 8, 9, wires 11, 12, and 13, 14, lead to the primary coils 15, 16, of two respective stepdown transformers 17, 18, having secondary coils 19, 20, inductively taking curof Rochester, lin the county, of`

rent from the primary coils in well known manner.

.One of similar track block circuits now will be described by starting at the positive pole of the centrally shown secondary coil 19, thence by wire 21, to the rail 1, of block 5, and by wire 22, to and through the coils of an alternating current track relay 23, and by wire 24, to track rail 2, thence by wire 25, to a coil 26, surrounding the iron core 27, of an electromagnetic impedance device 28, shown at the right-hand in the diagram, and from said coil 26, by wire 29, to the negative pole of secondarycoil 19. The partial cir- -cuit from the secondary coil 19, of the ex yand lower fixed contacts 31, 32, in circuit with which are certain hereinafter named wires leading from the secondary coils 20, of transformers 18, to the reactance devices 28, and to two respective green and red clear and danger light signals marked 'G and R, and erected at or near the entrance to each track block, the light signals for blocks 5, and 6, being shown in the diagram. Similar circuits through the-secondary coils 20, of transformerslS, to the light signals and reactance device 28, of each track block may be traced as follows, it being remem-- bered that the constant energizing of the track block circuits by the transformers 17, normally energizes the track relays 23, when no train or car is in the block, thereby attracting the relay armature 30, and closing a circuit from the positive pole of secondary coil 20, by wire 33, to armature-30, contact 31, and wire 34, to one terminal of the clear lamp G, and from its other terminal to wire 35, and junction point 36, and thence `by a common wire 37, to a relatively fixed resilient contact 38, and thence to aswitch arm 39, fixed to a Z shaped armature 40, of the reactance device 28, when said armature -immediately short circuits or shuts and thus denergizes relay 23, thereby permitting its armature to drop away from its front contact 31, andengage its back contact 32, thus closing the circuit from secondary coil 20, through the danger lamp R, by Way yof wire 33, armature 30, contact 32, wire 44, to one terminalof lamp R, the other terminal of which is connected by a wire 45, to junction point 36, and thence as in the aforesaid cleary lamp circuit through wire 37, contact 38, switch arm 39, wire 41, reactance coil 42, and wire 43, to the negative terminal of coil 20. A weight 46, is shown applied to the arm 39, of armature 40, for retardingthe counterclockwise turning of the armature under influence of the energized reactance core 27, and to automatically return said armature to the illustrated normal position,l and an lauxiliary weight 47 may be hung by a flexible cord 48 to offer additional retarding resistance yto turning of the armature during the latter part of its movement, all as may be determined'byy the form and arrangement of the light circuit transformer 18, and reactance coil 42, relatively to the track lcircuit transformer 17 and the coil 26, on the reactance core 27.

Let it be assumed that a train or car is running along track block 4, in direction of the arrow a, and that no train or car is in the following block 5. Under these conditions the left-hand green or clear si nal lamp G, at the junction of blocks 4, and 5, would be lit automatically because of engagement of contacts 39, 38, of the lefthand reactance 28, almost immediately its armature 40 began to turn counterclockwise under influence of the electro-magnetic circuit established through the coil' 19, of the rst shown transformer 17, the left-hand reactance coil 26, and its energized core 27. As the train or car first entered block 4, the resistance offered by"its track rails 1, 2, was at its highest due to inclusion in the track circuit of .all those longer portions of the rails of block 4, in advance of the train or car, and consequently the trackv circuit reactance coil 26, would have the least magnetizing effect on the reactance core 27, but still ample to cause turning of the reactance armature 40, counterclockwise f ar enough to engage the reactance armature arm 39, with the contact 38, and close the lamp cirling the resistance in the green lamp circuit armature for gradually dimming the light cuit through the coil 20, of lthe first transformer 18, to automatically light the green olea-r7 lamp G, and thus notify the motor- -man of the train or car advancing in block 4, that there is no train or car in the follow- 7ging block 5, which thus may safely be entered. After the above traced green lamp, -circuit is closed to light the lamp G, asf aforesaid at the forward end of block 4, the reactance coil 42, in said circuit has a magnetizing effect on the reactance core 27, auxiliary to that of fthe track circuit'coil 26, thereby assisting the reactance track circuit coil 26, in drawing the reactance armature 40, around further counterclockwise to cut more lines` of force of the electromagnetic circuit through the reactance armature and core and consequently increase the counter-electromotive force, thereby increasand automatically but gradually dimming the light of the green lamp G to avoid too dazzling effect of it upon the eyes of the motorman of the train or car advancing in the block 4. This gradual light-dimming '90 effect depends less upon the above named auxiliary magnetizing effect of the lamp circuit reactance coil 42, on the reactance core 28, than it doesupon the gradual decrease of the length of the rails of block 4, in front of the advancing train or1 car as this decreasing rail length lessens the resistance of the block rails and therefore' proportionately increases the magnetizing effect ofthe above traced track circuit through the transformer coil 19, and the reactance coil 26, upon the reactance armature 40, to assure its full counterclockwise movement across maximum number of lines of force at the reactance core 27, to thereby increase the resistance in the lamp circuit for dimming the light as aforesaid. The weights 46, 47, on and'above the reactance armature 40, pro-l moteslow counterclockwise turning of this as the train or car advances alo g track block 4, but any other approved /means mechanically or electrically retarding this armature movement may be employed.

If while a train or'car is advancing on ,115 block 4. another car should be in the pre- Y ceding block 5, said other car would shunt and denergize the left-hand relay *23A` and its armature 30, would drop to the back contact 32, thereby closing the above traced danger lamp circuit through the coil 20, of the rst transformer 18. 'and automatically lighting the red lamp R, to thus advise the motorman of the train advancing on block 4, that the preceding block 5, is occupied and may not safely be entered until afterv the red lamp is automatically extinguished by passage of said preceding train fromblock 5, into block 6, or beyond it. As the train or car leaves block 4, and

enters blockv 5, from which the preceding train had passed, lthe green light would automatically be extinguished and the A light would automatically be lighted to warn the motorman/ of the next following train advancing in block 4, that block ,5,

may not safely be entered. Should the red' extinguishment of the right-hand green an red lamps G1 and R1, at the junction of track blocks 5, and 6, is similar to that above described relatively to like lamps G and R, located at the junction of blocks`4, and 5, and needs no further detailed description, but it may be brieflv Astated that should block 6, be clear and a train be approaching in block 5, the right-hand green lamp G1 would be lighted by closing of its circuit through the second or right-hand transformer coil 20, and the coil 42, of the righthand resistance28, after its contacts 39, 38,

.had been engaged by initial counter-clockwise turning of its armature 40, by energization of the reactance coil 26, and core 27, through the track circuit of block 5, and the centrally shown transformer coil 19; and as the train'orl car advances in block 5, thereby shortening the length of the block rails in front of it, the operation of the right-hand reactance 28, will automatically cause dimming of the lighted green lamp G1, as the car approaches the end of block 5, andthis lamp`will'be extinguished automatically as the car leaves block 5, and enters block 6. Should a train or car be in b`lockg6, while a train is advancing in block 5, the right-hand track relay 23 would be denergized thereby caus ing closing of the circuit of the second red lamp R1, through the right hand transformer coil 20, and coil 42 of the righthand reactance 28, thereby lighting the red lamp to warn the motorman of said following train, and when the train or car leaves block 6, the red lamp will automatically be extinguished. The secondary coil 19, of the extreme right-hand transformer 17, is in circuit with the not shown reactance in block 7, and which coacts with the track circuits of block sections 6, and 7', in manner readily understood from the aforesaid description. The passage of a train or car from a block section extinguishes the green or red light because such passage denerl C gfzes the coil 26, of thereactance 28, and thus permits the armature 40, with its arm 39, to gravitally return to the illustrated normal position and separate the contacts red 39, 38, thereby breaking the lamp lighting circuit.

Although I have particularly described the construction of one physical embodiment of my invention, and explained the operation and principle thereof; nevertheless, I desire to have it understood that the form selected is merely illustrative, but does not exhaust the possible physical embodiments of the idea of means underlying my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A signal lamp controller for block system railways including track sections and an electric circuit traversing each track section; a signal lamp at the forward end of each track sectionv approached by a car traveling on said section, a lamp circuit including means lighting said lamp, and means influenced by the track circuit and dimming the lamp as the carapproaches the forward en-d of the trac'k section.

2. A signal lamp controller for block system railways including track sections and an electric circuit traversing each track section; a signal lamp at the forward end of each track section approached by a car traveling on said section, a lamp circuit including means lighting said lamp, and a reactance device inliuenced by the track cirl cuit and dimming the lamp as the car approaches the forward end of the track section.

3. A signal lamp controller for block system railways including track sections and an electric circuit traversing each track section; a signal lamp at the forward end of each track section approached by a car traveling on said section, a lamp circuit including means lighting said lamp, and a reactance device included in both track and lamp circuits and dimming the lamp as the lcar approaches the forward end of the track section.

4. A signal lamp controller for block system railways including track sections and an electric clrcuit traversing each track section; a source of electric energy for each track section circuit, a signal lamp at the forward end of each track section appreached by a car travelingv on said section, a second sourceof electric energy, a lamp circuit including means lighting the lamp from said second energy source, and means included in both track and lamp circuits and dimming the lamp as the car approaches theforward end of the track section.

5. A signal lamp controller for block system railways including track sections andan electric circuit traversing each track section; a source of electric energy for each track section circuit, a signal lamp at the forward end of each track section aplamp circuits and dimming the lamp as the car approaches the forwardend of the trackl section. K .y

6. A signal lamp controller for block system railways including trackv sections and an electric circuit traversing each track section; a signal lamp at the forward en d lof each track section approached by a car traveling on said section, va lamp circuit including means lighting said lamp, arreactance device responding to gradual cutting out of track rail resistance by an advancing car, and means retarding operation .of the reactance device thereby gradually dimming the lamp as the car approaches the forward end of a track section. 7 A signal lamp controller for block system railways including track sections and an electric circuit traversing each track section; a sigmal lampat the forward end of each track vsection approached by a car traveling on said section, a lamp circuit including means lighting said lamp, a reactance device responding to gradual cutting out `of track rail resistance by an adlvancing car, and a weight retarding operation of the reactance device thereby grad-V ually dimming the lamp as the'. car. ap-

proaches theforward end of atrack section.

8. A signal lamp controller forv block system railways including track sections and an electric circuit traversing each track section; a source of electric energy for each track section circuit, a signal lamp at the forward end of each track section approached by a car traveling on said section, a second source. of electric energy, a lamp circuit including means lighting the lamp from said second energy source, a reactance device included in both track and lamp circuits and responding to gradual cutting out of 'track rail resistance by an advancing car, and means 'retarding operation of the reactance device thereby gradually dimming the lamp as\. the car approaches the forward end of a track section. y

9. A 'signal lamp controller for block system railways, comprising a track circuit, a signal lamp, a lamp circuit, a reactance device included in both track and lamp circuits and dimming the lamp as a car approaches the end of a track section, and means retarding operation of the reactance device.

10. A signal lamp controller for `block system railways, comprising a block circuit, a signal lamp, a lamp circuit, a reactance v device included in both track and lamp circuits and dimming the lamp as a car ap# `proaches-the end of a track section, anda.

weight .retarding operation of the reactance device.

11. A signal" lamp controller for block system railways, comprising a track circuit including. a source of electric energy; a signal lamp, alamp circuit including an indeendent energy source, a reactance device included in both track and lamp circuits and dimming the lamp as a car approaches the vend of a trackv section, and means retarding operation of the reactance device.

12. A signal 'lamp controller for block system railways, comprising a track circuit for each block section including a source of electric energy, the track rails, and a relay, clear and danger-7 signal lamps for each block,and two respective lamp circuits which include respective front and" back contacts of the relay armature, and means included in the track and lamp circuits and dimming either the clear or danger lampas a car approaches the end of a block section.

13. A signal lamp controller for block system railways, comprising a track circuitl for each block section including a source of electric energy, the track rails, and a relay; clear and danger signal lamps for each block, and two respective lamp circuits which include respective front and back contacts of the relay armature, and a reactance device included in the track and lamp circuits and dimming either the clear or danger lamp as a car approaches the end of a block section. p

14. A signal lamp controller for block system railways, comprising a track circuit for each block section including a source of electric energy, the track rails, and a relay; clear and danger signal lamps for each block, and two respective lamp circuits which include an independent energy source and the respective front and back contacts of the relay armature; and means included in the track and lamp circuits and dimming` either the clear or danger lamp as a car approaches the end of a block section.

15. A signal 'lamp controller for block system railways, comprising a track circuit for each block section including a source of electric energy, the track rails, and a relay; clear and danger signal lamps for each blockL and two respective lamp circuits clear and danger reactance armature clear signal lamp, U cluding a core, two energizing coils thereon,

tact engaged by .ters a track section andthe each block, two respective lamp circuits which include respective front and back con- 4tacts of the relay armature, and a reactance device included in the track and lamp circuits and dimming either. the clear or danger lamp as a car approaches the end of a block section; said reactance device comprising a core, two 'energizingv coils thereon, one coil in thel track circuit and the other coil in both lamp circuits, an armature movable by the-)energized core, a relatively fixed contact, and a contact on the movable which when the reactance core is energized engages the xed contact thereby closing either lamp circuit and initiating lamp dimming operation of the reactance; I

17. A signal lamp controller for block system railways, comprising a track circuit for each block section including a source of electric energy, the track rails, Iand a relay; signal. lamps for each block, and two respective lamp circuits which include respective front and back contacts of the relay armature, a reactance device included in the track and lamp circuits and dimming eitherthe clear or danger lamp as a car approaches the end of a block section, and means retarding operation of the reactance device. v

18. A signal lamp controller for block system railways, comprising a track circuit for each block section including a source of tric energy, the track rails, and a relay; clear and danger signal lamps for each block, and two respective lamp circuits which include an independent energy source and respective front and back contacts of the relay armature, a reactance deviceincluded in the track dimming either the clear or danger lamp as a car approaches the end of a block section, and means retardlng operation of the reactance device.

,i 19. Asignal lamp controller for block system railways, comprising a track circuit for each block section including a source of electric energy, the track-rails, and a relay; a

a reactance device inan armature carrying a contact and' movable by the energized core; an electric circuit including said energy source and therails of one blockand one energizingicoil on the reactance core; and anotherv electric circuit including the clear lamp, an energy source, the attracted armature of the energized relay of the block ahead, a relatively fixed conthe moved reactance armature contact, and the other energizing coil on the reactance core and thence back to the lamp energy source,"whereby when a car enblock ahead is clear the clear signal lamp will be automatically lighted and will be dimmed by and lamp circuitsA and the reactance as the car advances in the block and' will be extinguished as the car leaves the block.`

20. A signal lamp controller for block system railways, comprising a track circuit for each block section including a source of electric energy, the track rails, and a relay; a danger signal lamp, device including a core, two energizing coils thereon and an armature carrying a contact and movable by the energized core; an electric circuit including said energy source and the rails of oneblock and onefenergizing coil on the reactance core; and another eleca. reactance' tric circuit including the danger lamp, an

energy source, the dropped armature of the denergized relay of the'block ahead, a relatively fixed contact engaged by the moved reactance armaturec'contact and the other energizing coil or the reactance core and -thence back to the lamp energy source, whereby when a car enters a track section and the block ahead is occupied, the danger signal lamp will be automatically lighted and will be dimmed by the reactance as the car advances in the block and will be extinguished as the car leaves the block.

21. A signal lamp controller for block system railways, comprising a track circuit for each block section including a source of 'electric energy, the track rails and a relay clear and danger signal lamps for each block, a reactance device for each block including a core, two energizing coils thereon and an armature carrying a vContact and movable by the energized core; an electric circuit including said energy source and the rails of one block and one energizing coil on the reactance core, two other electric circuits one for each lamp and having a common energy source, the clear lamp circuit including said common energy source and the attracted. armature of the energized relay of the block ahead, a wire leading to said clear lamp and another wire leading from itsto a junction point; and the danger lamp circuit including said common lamp energy source and the dropped armature of the same dcnergized relay 'and a wire leading to the same junction point; and a continued common circuit for both lamps including a wire from said junction point to a relatively fixed contact engaged by the moved reactance armature contact and thence to the other energizing coil on the reactance core and back to the lamp energy source.'

22. A signal lamp controller for "block` core, a relay] incircuit with the rails of the block ahead, a signal lamp, a lamp circuit including another energy source, the armature' of the relay of the blocli ahead, a relatively'xed contact engagedby thel moved reactance armature contact and the other block ahead, a signal lamp, a lamp circuit includin another energy source, the armature of t e relay of the block ahead, a relatively fixed contact engaged byf the moved reactance armature contact and the otherenergizing coll on the reactance core; and

means retarding movement of the reactance armature as a car approaches the end of a block section.`

24. A signal lamp controller for block system railways, comprising a track circuit for each block section including a source of electric energy, thetrack rails and a relay;

mon energy source, the clear lamp circuit including said common energy source and the attracted armature of the energized relay of the block ahead, a wire` leadin to said c1ear1amp and another wire lea ing from it to a junction point; and the danger lamp circuit including said common lamp energy source and the dropped armature of the same denergized relay and a wire leading to the same junction point; and a continued common circuit for both lamps including a wire from said junction point to a relatively fixed contact engaged by the moved. reactance armature contact and thence to the other energizing coil on the reactance core and back to the lamp energy source; and means retarding movement of the reactance armature as a car approaches the end of a block section.

WINTHROP K. HOWE. 

